1 The EIC Accelerator Project

The EIC Accelerator program, part of the European Innovation Council (EIC), is designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups with high potential to innovate and disrupt markets. This program focuses particularly on DeepTech sectors, which are characterized by advanced technologies and scientific breakthroughs. The EIC Accelerator provides blended finance, combining grants and equity investments to foster growth and scale-up efforts in promising companies across Europe.

The EIC Accelerator offers grants of up to €2.5 million to cover the development costs of innovative projects. This funding is aimed at supporting the transition from prototype to market-ready product, allowing companies to establish their technologies and business models effectively. Additionally, the program provides equity funding, which has evolved over time: until 2024, it can offer up to €15 million, while from 2025 onwards, this amount will be capped at €10 million. This flexible funding model helps companies to secure essential resources for scaling operations and attracting further investment from private sectors.

The EIC Accelerator plays a crucial role in the European startup ecosystem by bridging the gap between early-stage funding and later-stage investments. Many innovative startups struggle to secure the necessary capital to scale their operations due to perceived risks associated with groundbreaking technologies. The EIC Accelerator mitigates this challenge by providing non-dilutive grants alongside equity investments, thus encouraging private investors to engage with these companies. By validating the technological feasibility and market potential of startups, the EIC Accelerator effectively enhances their attractiveness to private sector funding.

A notable winner of the EIC Accelerator is FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD, which successfully submitted its Step 2 proposal in October 2021. The project, titled FreezeM, focuses on revivable insect preservation technologies that pause the life cycle of insects at the egg or neonate larvae stages. This innovative approach aims to empower the insect farming industry by enabling the long-term storage and eventual revival of insect species, a crucial aspect in meeting the growing demand for sustainable protein sources.

The FreezeM project centers on advanced cryogenic techniques that preserve insects without compromising their viability. By freezing the eggs or young larvae, the technology allows for extended periods of dormancy, thereby solving logistical challenges related to insect farming. This method not only enhances the efficiency of insect farming operations but also reduces wastage and optimizes resource use. The preservation of insect species is pivotal for sustainable food production, particularly given the increasing interest in alternative protein sources as a solution to global food security challenges.

The technology developed by FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD is rooted in the principles of cryobiology, which studies the effects of low temperatures on living organisms. By employing sophisticated freezing methods, the company ensures that insects can be stored and transported over long distances without losing their ability to thrive. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the insect farming industry, making it a more viable and attractive option for food production.

Through its funding from the EIC Accelerator, FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD is poised to scale its operations, further develop its technology, and position itself as a leader in the sustainable food sector. This project exemplifies the intersection of innovation and environmental sustainability, aligning with broader European goals of fostering green technologies and reducing reliance on traditional livestock farming. The success of the FreezeM project not only underscores the importance of the EIC Accelerator in supporting groundbreaking solutions but also highlights the transformative potential of the insect farming industry in addressing global food challenges.

2 The Funding Rounds

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd: Funding and Financing Overview (Since EIC Accelerator Win)

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd, based in Israel, is an agri-tech biotechnology company specializing in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding technology. Since submitting its successful EIC Accelerator application on October 6, 2021, the company has advanced through significant funding rounds and strategic growth.

Financing Raised

In February 2024, FreezeM raised $14.2 million USD in a Series A funding round.
Prior to this Series A, no publicly disclosed major financing rounds (seed or pre-seed) were reported after the EIC Accelerator win.

Funding Rounds: Timing and Amount

Date	Round	Amount Raised	Key Investors
Feb 15, 2024	Series A	$14.2 million	European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), group of seasoned industrial investors, existing partners

The Series A was specifically aimed at scaling the company's breeding hubs network and accelerating commercialization of their PauseM® product globally.

Investor Information

Lead Investors:
European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund)
Group of seasoned industrial investors
Other Participants:
Existing investors and partners from earlier involvement with the company.

Details Related to Funding Rounds

The Series A round marks a pivotal stage for FreezeM following its initial EU backing via EIC Accelerator.
Funds are being utilized to:
Expand breeding hubs across Europe and Israel
Commercialize PauseM®, which supplies 'paused' BSF neonates with extended shelf life for protein producers worldwide
Respond to fast-growing demand within a market forecasted to reach nearly $4 billion by 2033.

Company Valuation

As of February 2024, Dealroom.co estimates FreezeM's enterprise valuation between $57 million—$85 million USD.

Exit Events: IPOs or Acquisitions

No information is available as of April 2025 regarding an initial public offering (IPO), acquisition, buyout event, or other exit scenario involving FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd since receiving the EIC Accelerator funding. The company continues operating as a privately held entity focused on commercial expansion.

Summary Table: Key Data Points Since EIC Win

Item	Details
Latest Major Round	Series A
Amount Raised	$14.2 million USD
Date Closed	February 15, 2024
Lead Investor(s)	European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), industrial investors
Purpose	Global scale-up of breeding hubs; commercialization of core PauseM® product
Estimated Valuation	$57–85 million USD
Public Market/Exit Activity	None reported as of April 23, 2025

No evidence found for additional fundraising rounds beyond those noted above since winning the EIC Accelerator award; nor any exits such as IPOs or acquisitions.

Sources: - FreezeM Raises $14.2M in Series A to Accelerate Market Expansion

-Dealroom — FreezeM profile & valuation data

3 The Press Releases

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd, an Israeli company and EIC Accelerator winner since October 6, 2021, has been actively advancing its biotechnology solutions for the insect protein industry, particularly focusing on Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding technology. Their core innovation is the patented PauseM® product—life-cycle paused BSF neonates with a 14-day shelf life and over 90% survival rate—which revolutionizes insect farming by decoupling breeding from rearing processes. This enables scalable, efficient production with reduced operational costs and enhanced consistency for protein producers globally.

Key Press Releases and Updates

$14.2 Million Series A Funding: In February 2024, FreezeM announced closing a $14.2 million Series A funding round led by industrial investors including the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund). This investment aims to expand FreezeM's network of breeding hubs worldwide and accelerate commercial adoption of their PauseM technology.
Partnerships:
Hermetia Partnership: In September 2022, FreezeM partnered with Hermetia to co-produce and distribute suspended BSF neonates across Europe to optimize insect protein production.
Packaged Feeds Collaboration: In early 2025, Packaged Feeds adopted FreezeM’s PauseM product to scale its modular rearing systems converting organic surplus into high-quality protein. Plans include establishing a FreezeM breeding hub in England to support UK market demand. Both parties emphasize that this partnership enhances efficiency, scalability, sustainability, and meets growing market demand.

Technology Advancements

FreezeM’s proprietary technology pauses the BSF lifecycle at the egg stage on an industrial scale—a feat previously unachievable—which allows eggs to be shipped ready-to-use while maintaining genetic integrity post-thawing. This breakthrough shifts industry practice from daily hatching dependency toward flexible supply models that smooth production variability and reduce risk of colony collapse. The company positions itself as the "seed company" for insect farming by enabling customers worldwide to focus solely on larval rearing rather than complex breeding operations.

Team Updates & Company Profile

Founded in Israel in 2018 by researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science—including CEO Dr. Yuval Gilad—FreezeM has grown into a global leader headquartered at Kibbutz Nachshonim with additional breeding hubs such as one in Germany. The leadership team includes entomologists (Shlomo Solomon, Amir Dekel), R&D scientists (Victoria Berkun), operation specialists (Eden Alyagor among others), reflecting strong academic roots combined with operational expertise aimed at driving innovation in sustainable insect farming.

Patents & Intellectual Property

While specific patent documents are not detailed publicly within these sources, FreezeM’s key proprietary asset is their patent-pending paused lifecycle technology enabling extended shelf-life suspended BSF eggs which retain full functional viability after freezing—a major technological leap facilitating new business models within industrial-scale insect protein production.

Additional Public Communications

FreezeM actively shares insights via blog posts and articles on their website covering topics such as innovative applications of BSF larvae across industries; challenges of in-house larva breeding; gene editing impacts; sustainability trends; and developments related to their products like PauseM®. They also provide media resources including videos explaining their mission towards simplifying sustainable insect farming through advanced biotechnologies.

Summary: Since receiving EIC Accelerator funding following its October 2021 submission date step-up process completion with success at Step 3 interview level, FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd has made significant strides expanding capital resources through major funding rounds backed by EIC Fund participation while deepening strategic partnerships across Europe aimed at scaling deployment of its patented life-cycle pausing technology for Black Soldier Fly neonates known as PauseM®. These efforts position it as a pioneering force addressing sustainability challenges via precision-driven biotech approaches that simplify breeder operations globally.

Sources:

4 The Technology Advancements

Overview of FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd, based in Israel, is a pioneering agri-tech company specializing in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding solutions. Since receiving the EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021, FreezeM has made significant advancements in insect farming technology.

Current Capabilities

FreezeM's innovative approach involves pausing the life cycle of BSF at various stages using proprietary technologies like PauseM and CryogeM. The PauseM technology allows the temporary halting of neonate larvae development for up to 21 days, enabling controlled insect farming and demand-driven production. Meanwhile, CryogeM focuses on cryopreserving BSF eggs, ensuring genetic line preservation and biodiversity banks.

Advancements Since EIC Funding

Following the EIC funding, FreezeM has continued to expand its technological capabilities. The company raised an additional €6.3 million from the European Innovation Council (EIC) in late 2022 to further accelerate advancements in the insect protein industry. FreezeM has also developed a new, enhanced genetic line of Black Soldier Flies, contributing to improved protein production efficiency.

One notable advancement is the development of the BSF-Titan line, which employs CRISPR gene editing to increase larvae size and feed conversion rates, enhancing protein yield significantly. This line demonstrates a 25% increase in feed conversion rates and up to a 50% increase in larvae size compared to wild-type strains.

Market Demonstration

FreezeM has successfully demonstrated its technology in the market, particularly through collaborations like the partnership with Agroloop. This collaboration established the world's first fully outsourced BSF breeding facility, featuring an automated PauseM deployment machine capable of handling large-scale BSF production. This technology has been praised by customers for its ability to plan capacity and yield with precision, enhancing production efficiency.

Patents and Scientific Studies

While specific new patents or scientific studies directly linked to FreezeM since the EIC funding are not detailed in available sources, the company continues to innovate in the field of insect farming. FreezeM's genetic editing capabilities and biodiversity preservation technologies are at the forefront of industry advancements.

Conclusion

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd has consolidated its position as a leader in the BSF industry through technological innovations and strategic partnerships. The company's focus on scalable, sustainable insect farming solutions continues to drive growth and efficiency in the sector.

Sources: - FreezeM: Black Soldier Fly Breeding Solutions

5 The Partnerships and Customers

FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD, an Israeli agtech company specializing in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding technology, has established several strategic partnerships and customer relationships since winning the EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021. These collaborations are pivotal for its market positioning, technological advancement, and scaling efforts.

Key Partnerships and Customers

Hermetia Baruth GmbH: In September 2022, FreezeM formed a strategic alliance with Hermetia Baruth GmbH, an insect industry pioneer. The partnership focuses on the joint production and distribution of FreezeM’s patented product PauseM®—paused BSF neonates that simplify insect farming by providing ready-to-use eggs with extended shelf life. This alliance aims to optimize insect protein production by combining expertise and distribution capabilities.
Packaged Feeds: In early 2025, FreezeM partnered with Packaged Feeds to incorporate PauseM into their modular rearing systems designed to convert organic surplus into high-quality protein. This collaboration marks a significant step towards scaling Packaged Feeds’ operations while enhancing efficiency and sustainability in insect farming processes. They plan to establish a FreezeM breeding hub in England to support expanding demand in the UK market.
Agroloop: Agroloop chose FreezeM as its outsourced BSFL (Black Soldier Fly Larvae) breeder at a new insect farm. The suspended neonates supplied by FreezeM demonstrated better larvae growth performance compared to other suppliers' products during detailed testing conducted by Agroloop. This relationship reflects confidence from key players that adopting FreezeM’s decoupled breeding model leads to superior yields.

Nature of Relationships and Market Positioning

FreezeM’s partnerships revolve around delivering its innovative “Breeding-as-a-Service” model through PauseM®, which decouples breeding from larval rearing processes—a novel approach allowing insect protein producers globally to scale more efficiently without maintaining complex breeding facilities themselves. These collaborations enable:

Scalability: Partners can expand production capacity rapidly without investing heavily in specialized entomology or infrastructure.
Efficiency: Ready-to-use paused neonates reduce variability risks like colony collapses that plague traditional integrated supply chains.
Sustainability: By facilitating circular economy principles through insects converting waste streams into protein efficiently.

By aligning with prominent industry players—such as Hermetia for production/distribution expertise, Packaged Feeds for system integration & UK market expansion, and Agroloop for operational validation—FreezeM strengthens its role as the leading BSF reproduction specialist globally.

Impact on Technology Advancement and Scaling

The partnerships facilitate technology adoption at scale across Europe (Germany hub supplying partners), Israel (home base), and emerging markets like the UK:

They validate PauseM®’s biological performance under diverse conditions.
Collaborations support continuous R&D feedback loops enhancing product efficacy such as survival rates over 90% during shipment.
Expansion of breeding hubs closer to key markets reduces logistical complexity.

Moreover, ongoing innovation includes development of enhanced genetic lines such as BSF-Titan®, which increases larvae size by up to 50%, reduces feed costs significantly (~25% cost reduction), improves feed conversion rates, thereby lowering overall industry costs while boosting sustainability credentials.

Together these relationships position FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD not only as a technological pioneer but also as an enabler of industrial-scale sustainable insect protein farming worldwide while accelerating commercial growth post-EIC funding success.

Sources

6 The Hiring and Company Growth

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd, an Israeli company specializing in innovative Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding technologies, has shown significant growth and team development since winning the EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021. The company focuses on revolutionizing BSF farming by providing patented paused BSF neonates (PauseM®), which enable scalable, efficient insect protein production for sustainable waste management and food solutions.

Team Growth and Current Headcount

FreezeM has evolved into the premier and largest BSF reproduction specialist company with a strong academic and practical foundation since its establishment in 2018. While exact current headcount numbers are not publicly detailed, FreezeM maintains multiple specialized roles indicative of a growing team structure that includes entomologists, R&D scientists, operation specialists, and operation managers spread across their headquarters in Israel and breeding hubs such as Germany.

Key named team members include: - Shlomo Solomon (Entomologist)

Victoria Berkun (R&D Scientist)
Eden Alyagor (Operation Specialist)
Amir Dekel (Entomologist)
Finbar Rose (Operation Manager Germany)
Christina Vacharidi & Ioanna Tsompanoglou (Operation Specialists)

This diversity suggests active expansion particularly in scientific research, operations management, and international scaling functions.

Hiring Status and Recent Key Positions

Although there is no explicit public announcement about ongoing hiring or specific recent hires post-EIC funding available from the sources reviewed, FreezeM’s presence of multidisciplinary specialists across entomology to operations indicates strategic recruitment aligned with scaling production capacity internationally. Their operational hubs imply they likely continue to expand teams focused on biological research innovation as well as supply chain logistics to support global distribution of their PauseM® product.

Impact of New Team Members on Future Growth

The inclusion of experts such as entomologists alongside operation specialists supports FreezeM’s mission to drive precision revolution in insect-based protein production through science-driven breeding technology. This blend facilitates product innovation while ensuring operational efficiency critical for scaling large-scale sustainable insect farming worldwide. As they refine paused neonate technologies that reduce costs while boosting yields substantially for customers globally, these capabilities position FreezeM for rapid market penetration.

New hires focusing on R&D strengthen ongoing technological leadership; operational hires enhance ability to meet variable demand at scale; managerial roles like Operation Manager Germany highlight geographic expansion efforts aimed at servicing European markets more robustly. Overall growth hinges on this balanced talent acquisition strategy enabling them to capitalize fully on EIC Accelerator support received in late 2021.

Management or Founding Team Changes

No publicly disclosed major changes have been reported concerning founding members or top-level management since receiving the EIC funding. The founding researchers from Weizmann Institute remain central figures driving scientific innovation within the company.

Summary

Since receiving EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021:

FreezeM has grown into a leading global specialist BSF breeding firm with a multidisciplinary team spanning entomology research to operational management.
Exact current headcount is not published but includes key scientific researchers and operations personnel located primarily between Israel headquarters and German breeding hub.
No explicit announcements reveal if they are actively hiring now; however engagement across diverse roles suggests steady recruitment aligned with scaling objectives.
Recent focus appears placed on strengthening R&D expertise along with expanding operations capability internationally.
New team members bolster FreezeM’s ability to innovate biologically advanced products while meeting increasing global demand efficiently—critical steps toward accelerating sustainable insect protein markets.
No known major shifts have occurred within founding or executive leadership post-funding round.

These developments collectively indicate that FreezeM Cryogenics is strategically advancing its human capital base following their successful acquisition of EIC support for future growth ambitions.

Sources: FreezeM Official Website - About & Innovation
Dun & Bradstreet Profile - FREEZEM CRYOGENICS LTD
FreezeM Product & Industry Overview

7 The Media Features and Publications

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd. Overview

FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd., based in Israel, has been a leader in innovative insect farming solutions, particularly focusing on Black Soldier Fly (BSF) breeding technologies since its inception. The company received EIC Accelerator funding on October 6, 2021, recognizing its potential in transforming the insect protein industry.

Media Features and Publications

FreezeM has been featured in various media outlets and publications, highlighting its innovative approach to insect farming. For instance, the company has been covered in articles discussing its role in simplifying BSF reproduction and increasing protein yield through its PauseM® product. Additionally, FreezeM has been noted for its partnership with Agroloop to launch a decoupled insect farming factory, which separates breeding from production.

Content from Publications

Publications have emphasized FreezeM's breakthroughs in cryopreserving genetic lines of BSF and developing pauseM® technology, allowing for efficient and scalable insect farming practices. This technology has been praised for reducing operational costs and boosting protein production, marking a significant shift in the industry.

Podcasts and Interviews

While specific podcasts or interviews featuring the team of FreezeM Cryogenics Ltd. are not widely documented in the available sources, the company's founders and CEOs have been involved in industry discussions and events. For example, Yuval Gilad, CEO and Co-Founder of FreezeM, has commented on the strategic partnerships and innovations driving the company's growth.

Conference and Fair Participations

FreezeM has participated in various industry events and conferences, including collaborations with prominent partners like Bühler and the Danish Technology Institute to discuss decentralized insect production. However, detailed information on specific conference visits and presentations by the company is limited in the available data.

Event Involvement

FreezeM's involvement in events is centered around promoting its PauseM® technology and partnerships. For instance, the partnership with Agroloop has been highlighted in industry news as a significant step towards efficient and scalable insect farming.

Sources:

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